The Middle East, the cradle of civilization, is rich with stories of great kings, prophets, and philosophers. From Cyrus to Moses to Ibn Khaldoun, our nations have given the world some of its greatest visionaries. Leaders like Anwar Sadat, King Hussein, Menachem Begin, King Faisal, and my father, too, took up the mantle of seeking peace for our peoples.
But for 45 years, too many of us have been forced to live in fear. Fear of the next terrorist attack. Fear of war. Fear of economic instability. Fear of nuclear blackmail. That’s because 45 years ago my country was taken hostage by a radical regime that seeks, not only to keep my people in chains, but to export its revolution to your countries and your people.
The regime in Tehran is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents: Iranians, Arabs, and Israelis. Christians, Muslims, and Jews. It facilitated the October 7th attack. It fueled sectarian conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. It is trying to unseat the Hashemite Kingdom and delegitimize the custodian of the two Holy Mosques. It uses Palestinians as human shields.
And now, it has brought our cradle of civilization to the cusp of regional war.
And so today I come to you with a message: this is not the Iranian people’s war. It is Ali Khamenei and his regime’s war.
The tyrant in Tehran couches his warmongering in Iranian nationalism. But he does not speak for our nation. The crimes his regime has committed against you, our neighbors, are an affront to Iranians and our values.
For us Iranians, pride in our nation and love of our country do not come at the price of hatred, antagonism, or chauvinism.
My compatriots have shown, time and time again, that they do not want Iran's wealth spent on fueling wars, fostering instability, or funding terrorism. Iranians are not your enemy. It is the Islamic Republic that is our common enemy. The enemy of all peace-seeking people in our regions; whatever nation they come from or whatever faith they practice.
So I say to you, our friends across the Middle East: our region deserves so much better. But in order to succeed, first this regime, that has held us hostage for nearly half a century, must go.
The Middle East is all too familiar with turmoil and upheaval. So I know you might fear change will bring chaos. But fear not. We will not allow a power vacuum to follow the collapse of this regime.
There is a vast coalition of patriotic Iranians, at home and abroad, ready to step in to serve our nation and make peace with our region.
I have told my compatriots that I will do my duty.
I will step forward - at their call - to oversee this peaceful transition to democracy and Iran’s return to the community of nations.
Peace is neither a relic of history nor a distant dream. It is a promise we owe to ourselves and our children, and together, we can make it a reality.
